Elon Musk’s Starlink, Yemeni government inching closer to license deal: Official

The internationally recognized government of Yemen is nearing a licensing deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide satellite internet service to the war-torn country, according to a senior government official.

The Yemeni official, who asked not to be identified because he wasn’t authorized to discuss the negotiations, said the government was finalizing the license — although it could take another month to complete.

If the deal works out, Yemen would join countries like Israel and Jordan who are among very few to have approved the use of Starlink in the Middle East.

The deal could dramatically improve internet service in Yemen.

Much of the country is governed by the Houthi militant group which also runs telecommunications networks in the areas it controls. But Starlink terminals operate by connecting to the world’s largest network of private satellites, so wouldn’t need the rebel group’s permission.

SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink, didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

“If SpaceX obtains knowledge that a Starlink terminal is being used by a sanctioned or unauthorized party, we investigate the claim and take actions to deactivate the terminal if confirmed,” the company said in a post on X in February.

The Yemeni deal would represent the fulfillment of a series of failed attempts to get the service licensed to operate in the country, which has been trapped in a civil war since 2014.

A March 25 Bloomberg investigation found that Yemen was among numerous jurisdictions including Sudan, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Venezuela where Starlink terminals were in use despite the company having no explicit license to operate.

Both the Houthis and the Yemeni government had warned violators of serious penalties of using the internet service without approval.